There is perhaps no more distinct transformation between generations of a mass-produced vehicle than the 3rd-to-4th generation evolution of the Oldsmobile Toronado. The earlier version of Oldsmobile’s two-door was a classic GM product with a half-vinyl top, wire-style hubcaps, and plenty of velour inside the cabin. As we see here, the next-generation Toronado was a dramatic departure from traditional GM styling and still looks quite sharp today. This 1989 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo has only 1,300 original miles and is listed here on Craigslist for $25,000.
Now, the Toronado had been in a state of perpetual downsizing for many years, and the new-for-1986 model represented some unfortunate milestones for the model family: it was more expensive than it had ever been while also being smaller and sold with a much more humble powerplant. As a child of the 80s, I dig this era of the Toronado: it sits low, it has hideaway headlights, a solid bar of illumination across the rear panel, and dual exhausts, not to mention mesh wheels. What more do you need? However, considering how different the previous era was, which was more in line with the classic model segment known as a “personal luxury coupe,” I can see why this Toronado era may have disappointed GM diehards.
The cabin, as did the exterior, represented a dramatic transformation, with optional bucket seats, a digital gauge cluster, and a voice alert system. The grab-handle style shifter was reminiscent of what you might find in a commercial airliner. The overall tidier proportions would have immediately been noticed by anyone who was accustomed to spreading out in Oldsmobile’s premium coupe model. The Toronado also migrated to a unibody design as opposed to the body on frame and dropped a V8 engine option, with the corporate 3.8L V6 the sole powertrain choice. And, of course, all of this was done in response to an expectation of higher fuel prices.
However, that price spike never materialized, and the reborn Toronado found itself on the wrong side of consumer demand. Olds tried to save the car with my favorite version of practically any GM product, the 1990 Toronado Trofeo, which made the competent FE3 suspension standard equipment and the novel Visual Information Center more commonly associated with the Buick Reatta. However, no amount of tech or performance-inspired handling could save this model, making a low-mileage time capsule like this one quite the anomaly considering the lackluster sales. Would you fork over $25K for a brand-new Toronado Trofeo? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Rocco B. for the find!
Hideaway headlights and a horse shoe shifter? Whats not to love? Really cool survivor, but I don’t believe these have hit collector car status with a valuation of 25k.
I had a 1976 toronado, cranberry red with white interior and white half top and white bodyside moldings….now that was a car !!!
Definitely agree. 15k is much more realistic in the current market, especially for a car with little to no following. Very nice though. Hope it finds a good home and gets preserved.
Hey Mike.. 9 pictures is not going to cut it!! Need more and engine pictures please!! Yes this is a beautiful Olds. I was lucky to drive one in the color blue. Love the tight handling and the V6 will break the tires lose. The seats are very comfortable with the settings. This was very expensive when new. Just make sure all electronic gauges are working. I feel $19,500.00 is a fair price. Good luck to the next owner..🐻🇺🇸
Who the heck is Mike?
The ad on CL says, “contact mike at…”
Loved the International Series of these cars
My great uncle would visit my parents with the newest Toronado every couple of years.I always circled the Olds in the driveway unbeknownst to them.They were all earthtone colors from the early 70’s onward.Seen quite a few cool and unique models.This was the last model I seen in my parents driveway.High tech at the time.Liked these more than the Caddies.My 2nd car at age 22,an Imperial LeBaron, sorry GM.
Had one of these years ago,one of the best cars I ever owned,sold it to a guy and he said the same thing!
If it was so great then why did you sell it?
It’s a gated shifter hahaha, commercial airlines…stop.
Nice but definitely not 25k nice, all prices have become Ludacris, I’m surprised anything sells anymore
The “story”is this car has a 5 digit mechanical odometer which is very easily disconnected ..buyer beware!
The Trofeo is basically Olds’ answer to the Buick Somerset. Lots of different trim and body pieces, but the body pan and innards are the same. If I had my choice betwixt the two, I’d take the Somerset. IMHO Trofeos look a bit odd or ungainly to me.
Similar in looks maybe being a two door coupe. Buick Somerset was a N body platform. The Toronado was E body platform shared with the Buick Riviera and Cadillac Eldorado.
1300 miles and am I correct a DVD player is installed in the dash in front of the shifter. Seems odd.
What you are looking at is called a cassette tape player. A media device we used in the 80’s. lol, I’m old.
I am old too (51) but that thing does not look like a cassette player
You got me curious, so I did a Google image search for Trofeo consoles and found out that it is, indeed, a cassette player.
It looks to be a traditional drop-in type player. Someone mounted what looks like a phone holder on the top of it – unfortunate.
there it is! These audio units had a remote mounted cassette deck or cd player, depending on the model and options. Five will get you ten that deck no longer works, when the belt wore out either due to use or age they were somewhat troublesome to repair.
I’ve been waiting for someone to point out the misspelling – LMAO!
And, here is the radio portion, no cassette player.
It also came with a graphic equalizer, of course.
Pretty cool setup, in an 80’s sort of way.
Ok it was the graphics equalizer that in the articles pic looked more like an LCD screen. I see it now on your zoomed pic
So 80’s cool.
what’s odd is I used to repair GM-Delco audio units in the early 2000s, and every one of these had either a remote tape deck or CD mounted elsewhere in the console. This one apparently doesn’t yet it should, seeing as Toronado was “up-level”.
Mixed emotions about this car, I have always had a special place in my heart for OLDS, and Tornado has been a favorite! 86′ marks a dark period for the brand, two years prior OLDS sold a million units ( Brand Wide) and 86′ began a downward spiral that they couldn’t reverse! This car should have been a Cutlass ( to small to be a range topper) the technology was definitely there and it wasn’t unattractive per say but it didn’t hold the magic of the 85′ model!
It actually was a Cutlass. The N body platform was also used to build the Cutlass Calais,Buick Somerset and the Pontiac Grand Am
Again, These are NOT the N-body Cutlass Calais. Toronados were not tarted up Grand Ams and they never had an International Series version. These have a similar profile to the N-body coupes, but the similarities end there.
I have absolutely no emotions about this car. Oh, wait, hang on…. nope, that was just a little gas. No emotion at all.
At $25,000, the seller is a decade too early, to get that ask.
For that type of money, there are better choices.
The downsized E-body coupés for 1986 were shocking to almost everyone. A line of cars that was created at the peak of General Motors expressive designs came back as lite, low-fat gluten-free, low cholesterol imitations.
Weil, they were actually quite good. This styling was hopelessly bland for the market and they got an almost immediate freestyle.
Of the three, I like the original Toronado the best. The sharply edged trunk and roofline, having an originality that none of the others matched. Unfortunately, after the restyle, all of that went away.
I think the 1990 restyle ruined the looks of this car.
i worked on these when they were new and boy the ones that came through our dealership were plagued with electrical issues and quality control problems. not very big sellers new.25k big money.take it to mecum. best of luck to all parties involved.
I owned a 1988 Trofeo, dark burgandy, and of course, I added a black luggage rack to the rear deck to make it look special. Owned it 2 months, traded it for a brand new 89 Supra, which I still have. The Olds was in the shop 4 times in the 8 weeks I owned it. I can’t remember what problems I had other than the headlight covers kept getting jammed and would not open. Great engine for the time, but not sure if those electronics were going to give me trouble. Had buyer’s remorse and dumped it quickly.
I liked these–bought a clean 1986 model, used, off of the dealer’s lot in the early 1990s. Never had a minute’s trouble with it. Good looking car, comfortable leather bucket seats, but it looked awfully similar (side profile) to the other down-sized GM econo-coupes, which always irked me. Sold it a few years later to a neighbor across the street who just had to have it and made me a good offer.
i own an 1986 tornado trofeo near identical to this one .
many were made like this color combo all were sent to dealers as show room models and the electronics was buggy more wires than a space shuttle
mine is rock solid now but the start trck dash was the main issue
but 25,000 nope
maybe 8,000
I have 10k and and some ca-singles for the ride home, I think that’s all the money for some 80’s GM nostalgia.
Years ago I owned a 89′ Reatta,red with camel interior that had the computer dash that still worked. I bought it from a old guy who was the original owner,all stock except for some reason he put a set of rims on it.Had it in a car show one year here in the retirement community and a old timer begged me to sell it to him.Money talks.
i’m gonna follow this stream but you know 6000 Canadian and I would probably let mine go. I’ve had it for 12 years now and I should really move onto other cars.
so u might see one here shortly
hmmmmm
This car has low mileage because no one wanted to be seen in it. These cars are ugly. Probably closer to fugly. They shame the Toronado name.
It was bad enough they went from the original sporty ’66 Toronado to the huge ballooned “personal luxury car” with no grill, but to then reverse and shrink them down to the size of a Ford Maverick…. travesty l
I lost my coffee on this one.
“These cars are ugly. Probably closer to fugly.”
I haven’t heard fugly for a while.
Don’t hold back Angel, let us know how you really feel! Anyway, I agree with you.
end a 1985 Tornado bought new by my Gpa in 1985. I had toured the Linden , NJ plant and was impressed with them.
The early models with 425/455 – 385 HP were monsters. Sad to see the mini Olds become the size of a Fiero.
Sad they went from a 307 – 4 barrel v8 to a v6. The Olds flagship was no bigger that a compact car.
The two best Oldsmobile models of 86′ the Cutlass Supreme ( RWD, 307) and the Custom Cruiser B-body wagon) ( RWD,307) when those went away, I went Blue Oval!
Obviously you have never driven or owned one! I still have my 1986 Touring Toronado
Love this car. Amazing it survived with such low mileage. However not show who is going to pay 25k for it.
Always wanted one of these. I tried to buy one just like it (except with a black interior) back in the early 90’s. It was at Wally McCarthy Oldsmobile in Minnesota (where they filmed the car dealership scenes for Fargo). I was there for over an hour trying to get one of the salespeople to give me the time of day. I just gave up. If you weren’t there to buy a new car or a Corvette, you were pond scum.
Fargo- now that will trigger some PTSD. That movie was crazy in so many ways. Zebart undercoat and all…
I loved the scene at that dealer, almost every Coupe’ Oldsmobile made ( some of them discontinued by the time of the movie) were on display! Maybe if You had a woodchopper to offer as a trade, they would have sold you that Trofeo!!